The rise of 19-year-old Mohsin Marwat from the small town of Lakki Marwat to Pakistan’s national hockey camp is a powerful reminder that talent, determination and proper guidance can still produce success stories in Pakistan hockey.

Mohsin recently played a key role in Bacha Khan Club’s remarkable triumph in the Chief of Army Staff National Inter-Club Hockey Championship 2026. The tournament, played in district, provincial and national phases, featured 125 clubs from across Pakistan and concluded with Bacha Khan Club lifting the title after an unbeaten campaign.

The young striker’s performances earned him a maiden call-up to Pakistan’s training camp in Lahore for the upcoming Pro League matches scheduled in June. For Mohsin, however, the journey has been anything but easy.

Coming from Lakki Marwat, nearly 35 kilometres from Bannu, he began playing hockey at school level before attracting the attention of Bacha Khan Club during a local tournament. “In Lakki Marwat, hockey is mostly limited to schools. There are no proper clubs and not even a district hockey setup,” Mohsin recalled.

Determined to improve, he began travelling regularly to Bannu for training sessions with Bacha Khan Club. The routine was exhausting for a teenager. “For almost two years, I travelled nearly 70 kilometres three to four times a week using public transport. I even had to walk two kilometres from my home just to reach the bus stop,” he said.

The hard work soon started paying dividends as he represented Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the National Under-16 Championships in 2020 and 2021. The next turning point came when a customs officer from Lakki Marwat introduced Mohsin’s talent to Pakistan hockey legend Samiullah Khan, a member of Pakistan’s World Cup-winning teams. Samiullah advised him to join the renowned Dar Hockey Academy in Lahore.

After successful trials arranged through academy manager Irfan Zia, Mohsin secured admission to what is widely regarded as Pakistan’s finest hockey nursery. Convincing his family to send a 16-year-old nearly 500 kilometres away from home was not easy. “My parents were reluctant initially, but my passion for hockey convinced them. The fact that players from Bannu, including Pakistan drag-flicker Sufyan Khan, had already trained there also reassured them,” he said.

Mohsin believes Dar Hockey Academy transformed his career completely. “The environment is unbelievable. Players from outside Lahore are provided free boarding, lodging, playing kits and excellent coaching on synthetic turf six days a week,” he explained.

The academy’s coaching staff, including Mohammad Ejaz, Sultan Ashraf and Saleem Nazim, helped refine his skills while regular matches across cities such as Wah, Peshawar and Nankana Sahib developed his match temperament. Dar Hockey Academy also ensured his education continued uninterrupted. Mohsin completed higher secondary education at Superior College Lahore, with expenses covered by the academy, and is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sports Sciences at the University of Central Punjab on a sports scholarship.

His hockey career has progressed rapidly since joining the academy. He represented Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the 2023 national championships and later became part of the victorious Customs team in the National Junior Championship. Despite his growth, Mohsin remains deeply attached to Bacha Khan Club, the team that first recognized his talent.

Their fairytale run in the Inter-Club Championship culminated in a thrilling 5-3 victory in the final at the DHA Hockey Arena in Lahore before a packed crowd under floodlights. A fan of former Pakistan striker Shakeel Abbasi, who scored more than 100 international goals, Mohsin now stands on the doorstep of international hockey himself. For the boy from Lakki Marwat, the dream is no longer distant, it has finally come within reach.

The writer is a freelance sports journalist based in Lahore. He tweets@IjazChaudhry1

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